Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said Uttar Pradesh should aim to make its mangoes globally competitive by focusing on exports through branding, processing, packaging, product traceability and organic certification, rather than limiting efforts to increasing production alone. He said the state should strive to emerge as the world’s leading mango value chain hub.Chief minister Yogi Adityanath shows a large mango during the inauguration of UP Aam Mahotsav organised at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow on Friday. (Deepak Gupta/HT)Inaugurating the Aam Mahotsav-2026 (UP Mango Festival) at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh contributes 26% of India’s total mango production and exports mangoes to the United Kingdom, the UAE, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Belgium, Japan, Italy, Russia, Qatar and several other countries. He said agencies such as APEDA facilitate direct connections between overseas buyers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), while modern pack houses are operational in Saharanpur, Varanasi, Lucknow and Amroha to support exports.“UP contributes 26% of India’s total mango production. Mangoes are cultivated across all 18 divisions, 75 districts, 350 tehsils and 825 development blocks of UP,” the chief minister said.He visited the exhibition stalls and gathered information about more than 800 varieties of mangoes on display across seven categories and 56 classes. Mangoes weighing between 100 grams and nearly two kilograms are on display, reflecting the state’s rich diversity and the strength of its farming community.“The GI tag awarded to Malihabad mangoes has given them international recognition. The mango festival has been organised continuously since 2017. While the first edition featured only a limited number of varieties, the festival has expanded every year and now showcases over 800 varieties. This year, the branding of dragon fruit and lotus was also showcased,” he said.Referring to Malihabad mangoes, the chief minister said, “The state has introduced the Kakori Brand.” He explained that the brand honours the immortal martyrs of Kakori who sacrificed their lives for India’s freedom. The name has been chosen to keep their legacy alive. According to him, the Kakori Brand embodies devotion to the nation along with the sweetness born of farmers’ hard work.Yogi directed the horticulture department to immediately begin the process of obtaining GI tags for as many mango varieties as possible. “Farmers are generally earning profits of ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh per acre from mango cultivation. Profitability increases further through value addition, processing and export-oriented production,” he said.He noted that varieties such as Langra from Varanasi and Gorakhpur, Gaurjeet from Gorakhpur, Amrapali from Basti, Dussehri from Malihabad in Lucknow, and Rataul from Baghpat and Saharanpur, along with many other regional varieties, are attracting visitors with the unique fragrance of their native soil and their distinctive sweetness.Integrated Testing and Treatment ParkHe announced that an Integrated Testing and Treatment Park will be established near Noida International Airport, Jewar, enabling local produce to be exported more efficiently.He highlighted the use of fruit cover bag technology to improve mango production and quality. The horticulture department has distributed more than 15 million fruit cover bags to mango growers across the state.“The state should promote research, advanced nursery techniques, drone- and AI-based farming, quality testing, food processing, cold chain infrastructure, branding, e-commerce and global exports through an integrated approach,” he said.The chief minister referred to the ODOP initiative while highlighting the wide range of mango-based delicacies. He recalled how mango feasts were once a common tradition in schools, homes and villages during July. Stressing the need to establish a new identity for mango tourism, he said, “Farmers should be encouraged to become agri-entrepreneurs through value creation, innovation and promotion of the rural economy.”The chief minister emphasised the need to develop post-harvest infrastructure, cold chains, ripening centres, pack houses, food processing units and export facilities in every district.Farmers honouredCM Yogi Adityanath honoured outstanding farmers at the mango festival. He first flagged off the vehicle carrying UP’s mangoes and released the souvenir of Aam Mahotsav-2026.Those honoured included Basant Kumar of Randol village, Saharanpur; Asha Singh of Mahotepur village, Sitapur; Achal Kumar Mishra of Medaipurwa village, Lakhimpur Kheri; Shailendra Kumar of Bhanpur village, Unnao; Gopal Maheshwari of Madhaupuri village, Kasganj; Narvdeshwar Singh of Chhabaila village, Gorakhpur; Amarpal Singh of Akbarpur Sadat village, Meerut;Harshvardhan Tyagi of Bhadasyana village, Hapur; Suryamani Yadav of Bishunpur village, Hapur; Mohd Reyan Siddiqui of Amroha; M/s Awadh Nursery of Malihabad, Lucknow; SC Shukla of Gomti Nagar, and Upendra Kumar Singh of Navipanah, Malihabad. HTC